In this guide
Templates, checklists and worksheets
A weekly job search plan you can copy
A copyable weekly plan giving finding roles, applying, following up and preparing their own slots, with versions for full-time and part-time searching.
Plan the week around a few fixed blocks
A search without structure tends to become endless scrolling of job boards, which feels productive but produces few strong applications. Separating the work into blocks makes each one easier to start and finish.
- Finding: searching, saving and shortlisting roles.
- Applying: tailoring documents and completing applications for the shortlist.
- Following up: chasing outcomes and replying to messages.
- Preparing: interview practice and research for anything booked.
- Reviewing: what worked this week and what to change.
The template
Week of: [date] This week's focus: [one sentence, such as 'three tailored applications for coordinator roles'] Finding block: [day and time] Applying blocks: [days and times] Following-up block: [day and time] Preparing block: [day and time, or 'none booked'] Review: [Friday or last day], 20 minutes Shortlist carried into next week: [roles] One thing to change next week: [change]
Two worked versions
Illustrative example
Searching full-time
- Monday morning: finding block; shortlist up to six roles.
- Monday afternoon and Tuesday: applying blocks for the three strongest matches.
- Wednesday morning: following up; afternoon free for a course or exercise.
- Thursday: applying block for any new strong match, plus interview preparation if something is booked.
- Friday: review, then stop for the weekend.
Illustrative example
Searching around a full-time job
- Sunday evening, 45 minutes: finding block and shortlist.
- Tuesday and Thursday evenings, an hour each: one tailored application per evening.
- Lunch break midweek, 15 minutes: replies and follow-ups.
- Saturday morning, 20 minutes: review and choose next week's focus.
Fewer, better applications are realistic when time is short. The structure matters more than the hours.
The weekly review
Twenty minutes at the end of the week
- Which applications did I submit, and are they recorded with the version I sent?
- Did anything get a response, and is there a pattern in which ones did?
- Which follow-ups are due next week?
- Was any block skipped, and why?
- What is next week's single focus?
When the plan stops working
If you keep skipping the same block, it is usually scheduled at the wrong time or is too big. Shrink it rather than abandoning the plan: one application per evening is better than none. If the search is affecting your sleep or mood, build rest days into the plan deliberately, and talk to someone you trust.
Common questions
How many hours a week should a job search take?
There is no right number. What matters is that each block produces something: a shortlist, a tailored application, a follow-up sent.
Should I keep the plan in a spreadsheet or an app?
Either works. Keep the plan wherever your applications are recorded, so the review can see both.
Put it into practice
See how Luceria helps with thisDrafted with AI assistance and checked against Luceria’s editorial standards. Examples are illustrative, not real people’s results. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.